Dewitts cooling fan users - question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,565
Likes: 2
From: somewhere between heaven and hell WI
Dewitts cooling fan users - question
I put the Dewitts dual electric cooling fans in the 77 Vette along with a ZZ4. During the test drives and breaking in the motor I noticed the fans ate running alot, almost all the time. I got a 180 t-stat and the 195-175 fan switch. It appears the motor runs about 190 - 200 so the fans will kick in, but its not getting down to 175 to shut them off too often.
What switch have you guys used? Should I use the 205-185 switch instead?
What switch have you guys used? Should I use the 205-185 switch instead?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
Your fans will not turn off simply because you'll never reach the cut-off temp due to the minimum temp. of 180* set by the thermostat, in my case I use a 160* thermo and a 175*/195* switch and the fans will cool the engine off down to 175* in few minutes and will eventually turn off.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
Your fans will not turn off simply because you'll never reach the cut-off temp due to the minimum temp. of 180* set by the thermostat, in my case I use a 160* thermo and a 175*/195* switch and the fans will cool the engine off down to 175* in few minutes and will eventually turn off.
Limping across the line
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,299
Likes: 109
From: Peoria Az
due to the minimum temp. of 180* set by the thermostat
When the water is not flowing it is being allowed to cool in the radiator. SO, if you install a higher temp stat say a 190* your water will stay in the rad longer and be cooled down further.
Also note that a temp sensor in the head is going to read the highest temps in the engine.
So before throwing parts at your system. evaluate the whole cooling system. Where is temp bulb located? where is fan controller temp bulb located? Where is hottest location in your radiator.
Last thing I would ever do is advise someone to put in a 160* stat.
If the stat stays open too long you could run into a overheating issue.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
Your fans will not turn off simply because you'll never reach the cut-off temp due to the minimum temp. of 180* set by the thermostat, in my case I use a 160* thermo and a 175*/195* switch and the fans will cool the engine off down to 175* in few minutes and will eventually turn off.
This is the right answer, dis-regard everything else.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Last winter I pulled the heads to finally remove that damn plug in the pass side so I could put the FI temp sensor in the head, drivers side being instrumentation.....
so I noticed some corrosion....L98 heads, flushed the block, heads, cleaned up the crap and reassembled, drained the block both sides, cleaned everything up, best as could...
got what I feel is a overheating problem....
question is, since I have tossed the head gasket packing, that the heads for a L98 are a different gasket than a L48 or any other engine??
I know about the sealing rings for aluminum, but what about cooling flow??
so I noticed some corrosion....L98 heads, flushed the block, heads, cleaned up the crap and reassembled, drained the block both sides, cleaned everything up, best as could...
got what I feel is a overheating problem....
question is, since I have tossed the head gasket packing, that the heads for a L98 are a different gasket than a L48 or any other engine??
I know about the sealing rings for aluminum, but what about cooling flow??
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
It depends on what the ambient air temperature is but you will never run cooler than 160, that's what a stat does, it limits the minimum. That's why with a 180, you can't get to the switch 175 off setting because 180 is your minimum. You could solve the problem as mentioned with a 205/185 but Spal doesn't offer one, I wish they did.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
I made a cover out of aluminum for the top of my radiator to force the air through the radiator. What I used was a piece of aluminum I purchased at Lowes. It was designed to be used as a door kick panel. I cut it to fit and made a break to bend a lip on it. It's about the right thickness and rigid. I'ad take a picture, but in a moment of weakness I allowed my grandaughter and he boyfriend to take the Vette to the prom so the it's not here. I also installed a side emblem on top of the cover which looks pretty good.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 911
Likes: 5
From: TN
I made a cover out of aluminum for the top of my radiator to force the air through the radiator. What I used was a piece of aluminum I purchased at Lowes. It was designed to be used as a door kick panel. I cut it to fit and made a break to bend a lip on it. It's about the right thickness and rigid. I'ad take a picture, but in a moment of weakness I allowed my grandaughter and he boyfriend to take the Vette to the prom so the it's not here. I also installed a side emblem on top of the cover which looks pretty good.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,565
Likes: 2
From: somewhere between heaven and hell WI
Well that was nice to give them the honor of driving it to prom. Memory that will last a lifetime. I was looking at making one so I maytry it. Thanks for the info. If you can get a pic up here so I can see what you did for an idea. Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
I'll take a photo tomorrow and post it to you. It was grandaughters boyfriend who drove. He came over this morning and I took him for a drive. The big caution I had for him was that the front end sticks out there a lot farther than you realize when parking.
